The top NFL free-agent cornerbacks are expected to command salaries in the neighborhood of $11 million or $12 million a year this offseason. New England Patriots cornerback Malcolm Butler has been a Pro Bowler, earned second-team All-Pro recognition in 2016 and has two Super Bowl rings to show for three NFL seasons. But the former West Alabama standout probably is going to have to wait a year to get the really big money, even though he's a free agent.

That's because Butler will become a restricted free agent, not an unrestricted free agent when the new NFL year starts at 3 p.m. CST Thursday. And that kind of free agency comes with, well, restrictions. But Butler still is in for a big increase in pay after helping New England win the NFL championship for the 2016 season while playing for the bargain-basement salary of $600,000.

The first-round tender means New England will pay Butler $3.91 million for the 2017 season.

It also means that Butler is free to negotiate with other teams, too. If one of those teams makes a better offer to Butler, he can sign an offer sheet. The Patriots would have an opportunity to match that contract and keep Butler.

If New England declined to match the contract, Butler would change teams, but, because of the tender used on Tuesday, the Patriots would get a first-round draft pick from the team that signs him. That usually is a deal-breaker.

Teams have until April 21 to sign Butler to an offer sheet.

The first-round tender also could give New England time to work out a long-term contract with Butler before he hits unrestricted free agency after the 2017 season.

Butler's pro career started as a tryout player with the Patriots. In his first NFL season, Butler intercepted a pass in the final minute with the Seattle Seahawks on the New England's 1-yard line to save the Super Bowl and clinched the 2014 NFL championship for the Patriots.

Butler's Cinderella rise continued in 2016, when he played 1,008 defensive snaps, intercepted four passes, broke up 16 more and made 63 tackles.

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